[Anti-Japanese Iron Blood King] Chapter 899: Ultimatum (Ask for subscription!) , ask for a monthly pass, ask for everything! ）

However, with the signing of the "Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Treaty" between the Soviet Union and Japan, the Soviet Union, in order not to provoke the Japanese, withdrew all the air forces serving in the Chinese Air Force, along with fighter pilots. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

For a time, the Chinese Air Force fell into a state of shortage of man and machine. There are only four fighters left in the whole country that can fly and fight, and the number of pilots has also dropped sharply, and if it were not for the timely statement of the US Government, I am afraid that the Nationalist Government's air force would have been completely removed by the Japanese.

The future of the Air Force was worrisome, but the country could not produce aircraft, and foreigners were forced by the Japanese to dare not sell fighters to the Chinese Air Force. Unexpectedly, the Americans gave him a surprise and were willing to support Chennault in forming an air force to aid China.

The formation of the air force to aid China is extremely important in itself, but the hidden meaning reflected behind this incident is even more important. This is a prelude to the United States' entry into the war, and if the United States had not entered the war, they would not have taken such a big risk.

Although these pilots are said to have gone to China as volunteers, both fighter planes and ammunition are provided by the Americans, and there are a large number of American active pilots among them.

More importantly, US Secretary of State Hull then made a highly influential oral statement in Washington, addressed to the Japanese ambassador, who was trying to enter into friendly negotiations with the United States again.

"The Secretary fully recognized the Japanese Ambassador and his colleagues for bringing more friendly understanding to Japan and the United States and for their sincere efforts to establish peace in the Pacific, as well as the frankness shown by the Japanese Ambassador and his colleagues in the previous meetings," the statement said. This administration is not inferior to the Japanese ambassador in its desire for a better relationship between Japan and the United States and for peace in the peace region. In the spirit of the above, the Secretary of State carefully studied all the points of view of the Japanese proposal. ”

"The Secretary of State has no reason to doubt that the majority of Japanese leaders and the above-mentioned Japanese ambassadors and their associates share the same views and actions taken in support of the attainment of a noble purpose. Unfortunately, this Government has gathered evidence from various sources around the world, including reports from those who have been expressing sincere friendship with Japan for many years, that certain influential Japanese official leaders have made unwavering promises to support Nazi Germany and its policy of conquest, and that the only understanding they can agree with with the United States is that Japan will fight on the side of Hitler if the United States pursues its current policy of self-defense and becomes involved in a European war. ”

"Japan's official statement in which the spokesperson of the Japanese government emphasized Japan's pledge and intentions under the Triple Alliance, although this statement is unjustified, confirms a development that cannot be ignored. As long as these leaders remain in public office, maintain this attitude, and openly strive to steer Japanese public opinion in the above direction, it is not vain to expect that the proposal under discussion will go in the desired direction once adopted, and provide a basis for substantive results? ”

"Other reasons for the confusion about the Japanese proposal are that the Japanese Government seems to have inserted the recognition of the presence of Japanese troops in Inner Mongolia and certain areas of North China into the conditions for a peaceful settlement proposed by the Japanese Government to the Chinese Government as a measure to resist the communist movement's cooperation with China. My Government has carefully studied the motives of the Government of Japan for proposing such a proposal, and does not wish to discuss the substance of the proposal, but as has been explained to the Ambassador of Japan and his colleagues on many occasions, the liberal policies upheld by the United States do not allow the Government of the United States to endorse any path that contradicts them. ”

"While there is some room for some discretion in deciding on the granting of powers in matters affecting only the State concerned, the matter now under consideration will have an impact on the sovereignty of third States, and my Government is compelled to deal with such matters with the utmost caution. Therefore, the Secretary of State believes that my Government regrets to come to the conclusion that it has to be expected from the Government of Japan to give some clearer indications on the whole than has been given so far on the pursuit of the peaceful path that constitutes the purpose of this program of understanding. My Government sincerely hopes that the Government of Japan will demonstrate this attitude. ”

The statement was long, about 900 words, but at its core, and that was to get the Japanese to express their stance on whether to support Germany or withdraw from the Axis powers.

To put it bluntly, this statement by the United States is an ultimatum to Japan, and the United States believes that Japan has no sincerity in the slightest about the so-called peace talks, so it directly tells the Japanese that if they want to hold talks, they should show sincerity that the Americans will recognize.

This move by the Americans is undoubtedly adding fuel to the anger of the Japanese. In addition, the Japanese side has learned that the United States is going to provide a large amount of war loans to the Chinese government, and at the same time intends to let that hateful retired air force captain form a volunteer air force to aid China.

As a matter of fact, this statement by the US side is only an introduction, and in fact the Japanese have long been preparing for the southward movement. First, the great victory of the German allies greatly stimulated the Japanese top and made the Japanese see the hope and opportunity to dominate the world.

Second, the vast majority of Japanese people were very dissatisfied with the situation in Japan at this time, the current situation of soaring prices and economic withering made many people hold their breath, and the war situation in China had fallen into a stalemate, and the result of the delay in breaking through was that the Japanese government had to continuously send the vast majority of the country's manpower, financial and material resources to the Chinese battlefield, and the benefits obtained from China could not make up for the losses of the war for the time being.

Even if the puppet Nanjing Nationalist Government supported by Japan gradually began to show a little power and effect, and Japan began to gain some interests in China, but for such a big war, that small benefit was simply not even a drop in the bucket.

What makes the Japanese people most dissatisfied is that the United States, which has always made a fortune from the war, saw that Britain and France had lost control of their defeats in the European theater and were afraid that Germany and Japan and other countries would attack the United States, so they began to consciously reduce their exports of raw materials to Japan last year, and the direct result was that all strategic materials in Japan suddenly became extremely scarce.

Not only have the stocks of petroleum, rubber, and other materials that cannot be produced in Japan have fallen to a dangerous situation, but there is also a huge shortage of materials such as steel and food, so that some people in Japan and some of the top officials in Japan who hold real power have begun to look elsewhere.

The promotion of the domestic people has caused many high-level Japanese officials, including the emperor and Prince Zaihito, who actually controls the base camp to have other ideas, and they all thought that Japan should resolutely take China and make other plans, but at this time such ideas have wavered.

Originally, in accordance with the strategic national policy of conquering the world formulated by Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka Yoshiichi in 1929, Japan first established the strategy of using Manchu and Mongolia as a base for aggression and expansion. If you want to conquer the world, you must first conquer Japan. If Japan can be completely conquered by China, then other nations such as Minor Central Asia and the South Seas of India will fear and respect me and surrender to me, and the world will know East Asia as China's East Asia, and will never dare to invade us. ”

Later, Japan decided on the strategic idea of taking the United States and the Soviet Union as imaginary enemy countries, and the Japanese prime minister explained it in the following way: "However, if China wants to protect the three eastern provinces of China with iron and blood, then the America of the third country will be instigated by Japan to control us by razing and destroying us, and it will be inevitable for us to compete with the United States," "if we want to control Japan in the future, we must take the fight against American forces as a prerequisite," "China will have no choice but to fight with the United States for the sake of independence," and "in the future, it will clash with Red Russia in North Manchuria." ”

In fact, Japan has been implementing this plan since the time of Emperor Meiji, but some unexpected situations and realities have limited Japan's development, and at the same time, Japan has been forced to revise some of Tanaka's compromised strategies.

However, in any case, there is a consensus at the top level of Japan that no matter whether it is the Russo-Japanese War in the past or the current Sino-Japanese War, if it wants to control China in the future, it must first defeat the US forces, which is similar to the Russo-Japanese War.

If you want to conquer China, you must first conquer Manchu and Mongolia; If you want to conquer the world, you must first conquer China. If China were completely conquered by Japan, other nations in Asia Minor, India, and the South Seas would inevitably fear the Japanese Empire and surrender to it, so there has always been a strategic plan in Japan to attack the Soviet Union in the north and eliminate American power in the south.

However, due to last year's "Nomenkan Incident" and the "Zhang Gufeng Incident" the year before last, Japan truly saw the strength of the Red Soviet Union, and Japan, a nation full of wolf nature, has the gene of subservience to the strong, as long as they are afraid and afraid, then they will suddenly turn from wolves into dogs wagging their tails and begging for mercy.

After the fiasco of the "Zhang Gufeng Incident" and especially the "Nomenkan Incident," the clamor in Japan to challenge Soviet Russia in the north disappeared all at once, and no one dared to shout like this anymore.

However, with the continuous victories of Germany and the stimulation of the US government, the call for Japan to go south to conquer Southeast Asia and eliminate American power has become louder and louder, and there is a tendency for sparks to start out of control. (To be continued.) )